


Who Will Be There

by MeredithBrody



Series: NaNoWriMo [6]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M, Forrest's funeral, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-06
Updated: 2013-12-06
Packaged: 2018-01-03 15:25:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1072066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeredithBrody/pseuds/MeredithBrody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was inspired by a scene in 2x04 of "Episodes" where Beverly is talking to Sean at Merc's fathers' funeral. I couldn't not write it, and I wanted Jon and Erika to get a happier ending than Sean and Beverly.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Who Will Be There

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a scene in 2x04 of "Episodes" where Beverly is talking to Sean at Merc's fathers' funeral. I couldn't not write it, and I wanted Jon and Erika to get a happier ending than Sean and Beverly.

This was one of the worst reasons for the officers to gather at Starfleet, there had been the large memorial service a few days earlier, but today was the actual funeral, and she hadn't realised how unprepared she was for this moment. She knew that over the last two weeks everyone had expressed their condolences, but she hadn't really heard any of them. She'd been too numb to believe it. She hadn't truly believed it til she'd seen the caskets being unloaded from Enterprise. Jon accompanying one of them, and she'd known straight away that it was true.

She wasn't ready to say goodbye to her friend and mentor, and she wasn't ready for all the other emotions it was bringing up. For some reason she kept looking at Carol Forrest from her spot beside Jonathan and thinking about who would be there at her funeral.

The way she was going right now, probably nobody.

Once upon a time she'd thought that the man beside her would be there. They'd been planning a life together, children, everything. Then together they'd made a decision that had changed everything they had, and everything she'd though. It was probably morbid that she'd thought about their funerals, but she'd hoped they'd spend a lifetime together, and in her career you couldn't avoid the thought for long.

So instead, she sat there, just watching everything that was going on and remembering that there was still plenty of time for her. She wasn't dying, she could have years, and could yet have a legacy to follow her. She and Jonathan weren't exactly clear on where they were with each other, and that gave her an inkling of hope. That was all it was though, just a tiny spark. The reality was that her funeral was going to be empty, or full of people there only out of professional courtesy.

She was just staring straight ahead when she felt Jon's hand slip on top of hers, dragging her attention away from her internal monologue. She lifted her fingers a little so she could squeeze his, appreciative of the small sign of companionship. It was a few minutes more before he nudged her gently with his shoulder and whispered in her ear. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's stupid." She shook her head. Only now realising there were tears in her eyes. She really had thought too much about this, but she couldn't push it out of her mind. She looked back to where Carol was sitting, clearly absolutely devastated about why they were all there, and it struck her again that there would be nobody in that position for her. She sniffed again and Jon's hand tightened around hers.

"Erika." He muttered again, leaning down slightly so he could speak almost directly into her ear.

"Focus on your eulogy." She replied, nodding to the dias at the front where he was going to have to give a eulogy he'd written. They'd both been asked to do one, but she'd politely declined, not sure she could stand for long enough to say what she wanted to.

"Tell me?" Jon said, half an order and half a friend pleading for information so he could help, and for the tools she could give him to help her be OK. The problem was she wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him.

But he'd never let her down. Everything she'd said he'd always taken on face value, even when she was being ridiculous. Maybe he would understand why she was so upset. Why her sudden decision that nobody would care about her should she die was hurting. Or maybe it was just the possibility that he wouldn't care. That definitely hurt more than anything, because she'd been in love with him for most of her adult life. "I just always thought that if I died you'd be there, or you know, if you died I'd be there. Now I can't help but think that maybe that won't happen." She finished, then looked up at him while wiping her eyes with her spare hand.

"Rike, I-" He started, but she just squeezed his hand, stopping him before he started trying to explain or to comfort. He had bigger fish to fry coming up very soon, and he needed to focus on that. His words were going to be broadcast all over Earth, and that was important. He was important. She wasn't, not right now.

"Focus on the eulogy, Jon."

"I'll always be there, Rike. No matter what." He persisted, and all she could do at that statement was narrow her eyes and shake her head. He couldn't promise her that, nobody could. Circumstances changed, people changed. They'd changed since they'd first met. More than she probably realised. Sure, for now they were still drawn together, but how long would that realistically last.

"You can't say that." She whispered, maybe too quietly even for him to hear. She hoped so, because this conversation wasn't going to end anywhere, at least not right now.

"Yes, I can." He muttered, then almost jumped when his name was called, as if he had indeed forgotten that he was supposed to be doing something. He squeezed her hand before standing up. "I'll be right back." She listened to what he said, the words about friendship and loyalty. Sharing some of the sillier stories from all the years they'd served together. How Forrest had become a friend to all those who served under him. How no matter what happened he was always there for his officers, and how they came to see him as the head of their family, that the NX programme officers had and still were like a family. She caught the grins of Sam and Rob at that, it was true. They were still friends. Maybe she was wrong, after all this time it didn't mean they were leaving.

When he finished, he slipped back into the seat beside her and took hold of her hand. Neither of them said anything until they were leaving the chapel for the wake that had been arranged just a few doors down in one of the conference rooms. She tugged Jon back a little behind some of the others so their conversation would be as private as it could be. "That was lovely, Jon."

"You can thank Trip, he proofread it for me." Jon grinned, and she made a mental note to do that if she got the chance. Someone had to read Jon's speeches for him, otherwise it was never going to be something that would be remembered.

"Oh good, you're learning." She teased, but maybe Jon noticed she was still a little down, and she was. Not just because they were going to the wake of a man she had come to look on as a father figure after hers passed away. She was just scared of the future.

"Look, come here." He pulled her into an empty office just off the corridor then leant against the table looking at her. "I know that everything we have is questionable right now, and we haven't really established where and what we are. But I love you, and I know that whatever happens we'll be in it together. I will follow you wherever you take me."

"Promise?" She asked with a smile, letting him reach for her hand again.

"I promise." He smiled and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head against his chest and allowed herself to smile. They may not have worked out much, but hearing him promise that he was going to be there no matter what helped her feel a little better. Helped her know that she still had the man who loved her there.


End file.
